Melbourne film festival to celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema

Mumbai: The upcoming Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) will celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema and showcase some of the most celebrated movies of the last century.

The festival, to be held from May 3 to 15, will celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema and showcase film like 'Raja Harishchandra' (1913). It will close with the Australian premiere of 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' (2012).

"The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne is a wonderful demonstration of our growing cultural links and shows the creativity and innovation that Melbourne and Mumbai are both famous for," Louise Asher, Minister for Innovation, Services

Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) will celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema.

and Small Business in Australian state of Victoria, said here last night.

Actress Vidya Balan, for the second time, has been chosen the brand ambassador of the mega event in the Australian city.

"It gives me great pleasure to be the brand ambassador for the second time in a row. It has become like a sense of ownership now not just with the festival but also with the place. When anyone mentions Melbourne I feel like they are mentioning home," Vidya told reporters last night.

"I used to feel the same about Kolkata and it will always remain special to me. After Kolkata the other important place for me is Melbourne. The common thing between the two places is trams," she said.

The 13-day event will also see Pamela Chopra, wife of filmmaker Yash Chopra, visiting Melbourne to accept Lifetime Achievement Award for her late husband.